On May 24, 2007 at 9:30 PM, Portsmouth Police officers responded to the area 101 Chapel St. for a report of an altercation involving a handgun.

Witnesses reported that several people leaving St. John’s Episcopal Church had attempted to help a female in apparent distress. An altercation ensued when a male suspect, identified as the distressed female’s boyfriend, assaulted one of the individuals attempting to help the female. In the chaotic scene that ensued, the aforementioned female brandished a handgun and threatened several individuals on scene. The suspect male also gained possession of the handgun at one point and threatened another individual with it.

Responding officers located the male and were confronted by him carrying a knife and shouting “Shoot me” as he charged at them. The officers were able to avoid using deadly force to stop the suspect when one of the officers deployed his X26 Advanced Taser. As a result, the male was taken into custody without injury to him or the officers. The male suspect is identified as:

Lawrence S. Lang
9/2/74
8 Osprey Drive
Portsmouth, NH

Lang was charged with the following:

Second Degree Assault
Criminal Threatening with a knife (felony) two counts
Criminal Threatening with a handgun (felony)
Simple Assault (misdemeanor)
Reckless Conduct with a firearm (felony)

The female suspect was identified as:

Jaimee L. Ruccolo
8/30/80
8 Osprey Drive
Portsmouth, NH

Ruccolo was charged with the following:

Reckless Conduct with a firearm (felony) four counts
Criminal Threatening with a firearm (felony) four counts
Second Degree Assault
Carrying a Concealed Firearm without a License (misdemeanor)

Bail was set on Lawrence Lang at $30,000 CASH
Bail was set on Jaimee Ruccolo at $50,000 CASH

Both individuals were unable to post bail and will be arraigned in Portsmouth District Court on May 25, 2007 at 9:00 AM.

One victim was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital Emergency Room. He was treated and released for non-life threatening injuries resulting from the assaults.